Floor cleaning machine



y 0, 1954 E. M. JOHNSON 2,683,885

FLOOR CLEANING MACHINE Filed Oct. 21, 1949 7 Sheets-Sheet 1 July 20, 1954 JOHNSQN 2,683,885

FLOOR CLEANING MACHINE 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 21. 1949 y 0, 1954 E. M. JOHNSON 2,683,885

FLOOR CLEANING MACHINE Filed Oct. 21. 1949 7 Sheets-Sheet 3 July 2%, 1954 E. M. JOHNSON FLOOR CLEANING MACHINE 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Oct. 21, 1949 JERRY 1 E. M. JOHNSON 2,683,885

FLOOR CLEANING MACHINE Filed Oct. 21, 1949 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 .Zgg5

July 29, 1954 JOHNSON 2,683,885

FLOOR CLEANING MACHINE Filed 001;. 21. 1949 7 Sheets-Sheet 6 July 20, 19 4 E. M. JOHNSON FLOOR CLEANING MACHINE 7 Sheets-Sheet 7 Filed 001:. 21. 1949 1270672307 fimaMJo/wsa/v www Patented July 20, 1954 UNITED STATES A'inhi'i QFFICE FLOOR CLEANING MACHINE Ewing M. Johnson, Chicago, Ill. Application October 21, 1949, Serial No. 122,784

3 Claims.

This invention relates to floor-cleaning machines and the like and has to do more especially with a machine for removing oil and similar liquids from floors and paved areas.

In various large industrial plants, as well as garages, where quantities of oil are employed there often is a great deal of accidental and unavoidable spillage, and much labor has heretofore been required to maintain floors and outof-door paved areas in reasonably oil-free condition it being a time-consuming job to thoroughly eradicate a large oil spot by hand labor and ordinary tools such as previously have been used for the purpose. And in addition to the very substantial labor cost often entailed in keep ing the floors and like areas of a large industrial plant free of oil and other liquid combustibles, another factor of even greater importance is the increased fire hazard incidental to delay in cleaning up spillages.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a power-operated machine which will rapidly and thoroughly remove oil and similar liquids from floors and like areas, and which is adapted to minimize the maintenance costs involved in the performance of such services, while at the same time speeding up the operation, thus reducing fire and industrial accident hazards.

Another object is to provide a self-propelled machine of the above-indicated character which can be driven under its own power from place to place, so that it is quickly available in all parts of a large industrial plant.

Still another object is to provide an improved floor-scouring rotary brush wherein the bristles are quickly renewable.

Additional objects and intrinsic advantages inherent to the present invention will be pointed out in conjunction with the ensuing detailed description.

While the most extensive use to which this invention is likely to be put is the removal of spilled oil from floors and similar areas, it is equally useful in the cleaning up of liquids other than oil, such for example as paint and molasses. Hence, the term oil as employed in this specification and the appended claims should be understood as broadly inclusive of all liquids of a more or less viscous nature.

In the drawings which accompanying this specification:

Fig. 1 is a plan View of the machine;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation;

iii

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken at line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 3a is a mechanical detail-the view being taken on line 3a-3a of Fig. 3;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken at line 4-4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a rear elevation;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken at line 6-6 of Fig. 4;

Fig.7 is a fragmentary sectional view taken at line 7-4 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 8 is a sectional View through one of the vertical rotary floor-scouring brushes and its driving mechanism;

Fig. 9 is a plan view of one of the vertical brushes;

Fig. 10 is a constructional detail taken at line iii-40 of Fig. 8; and

Fig. 11 is an enlarged section taken at line H-li of Fig. 8.

The various components of the machine are mounted, directly or indirectly, on a structural steel frame A of generally rectangular configuration, which, in turn, is supported on two rubbe tired front wheels I0 and I0 and a single rear wheel 12 which functions also as a rudder by means of which the machine is steered. Each front wheel l0, I0 is rotatably mounted on an individual trunnion I3, l3, which latter each are fixedly secured at one end to the frame A. The rear wheel i2 is attached to a yoke M to which is connected a vertical shaft [5 journaled at its upper and lower ends in bearings I6 and 11, respectively.

A small internal combustion engine B supported by the frame A and mounted at the top thereof supplies power both for propelling the machine and driving the several brushes.

Power is taken from the engine B through a transmission C and is transmitted by means of a drive chain [8 and a pair of sprocket wheels to a shaft journaled in bearings 2! and 22.

A variable speed transmission D equipped with a manual gear-shifting lever 24 is connected to shaft 28 through the medium of a V-belt 25 and a pair of V-grooved pulleys 26 and 21. The belt 25 runs over an idler pulley 28 which normally applies enough tension to said belt so that it is operative to transmit power from shaft 28 to pulley 2?. The idler pulley 28 is pivotally attached to the upper end of an arm 29-see Fig. 3the lower end of which is pivotally connected to the machine frame; and a spring 38 biases the arm 29 clockwise, as depicted in Fig. 3, thereby other arm of which is pivotally connected to one end of a foot-operated plunger 38, which is provided with a foot pedal 33 adapted to be depressed;

by the driver of the machine. The plunger 38 is. slidably mounted in a bearing 40 and is urged outwardly by a coil spring 4|. It will:.be-apparent that when the pedal 39 is depressed, the arm 29 will be rotated clockwise, thereby moving the idler pulley 28 in the direction to tighten the belt 25.

The drivingend of transmission D is connected to a differential gear within the housing 42 which, in turn, is connected to a pair of oppositely ,extending shafts i3 and 34 mounted within tubular housings 45 and idlthe outer endsof whichare secured'to brackets Hand 43', respectively, rigidly attached to the frame A.. Sprockets and 5l are connected .to the outer ends of the two shafts 43 and 44, and these are connected through drive chains 52 and 53 to. driven sprockets 54 and 55. each of which is fixedly connected to one of the two front wheels l0 and in.

It will be evident that the machine is propelled.

through the above-described transmission system, which.applies power to the front wheels when the plunger 38is depressed by the operator. Thetransmission D. includes areverse gear and preferably also includes a plurality of forward.

speed gears.

A drivers seat E is mounted at thetop of the frame and so positioned that the driver, can easily reachall the controls; and a steering wheel F mounted on a vertical steering columns!) ispositioned in front of the seat Ewithin. convenient reach of. the driver.

The lower end of the steering column is providedwith a sprocket 6!, Fig. 1,.whichismeshed. with a chain belt 62', the rear end ofwhich. is, in turn, meshed with a. sprocket 63. .onthe vertical.

The chainbelt 82 is crossed, as. clearly shown in Fig. 1, andit consists of -two lengths of. chain SZaand 52b interconnected. by a steel shaft l5.

rod 6 3' and a turnbuckle 65 by means of which the chainbelt can be suitably tightened. Rota tion of the steering wheel and. column in either direction obviously'efiects a simultaneous. rotation of shaft Iii-and rearwheel [2 inthe opposite.

means thatthe machine can be turned around .5'

within a; very small. area.

Positioned at the frontend of the machine is a group Gcomprising three rotary brushes identified, respectively, by referencenumerals l0, H and 12-see especially. Figs. 8-11. These comprise each a circular steel disc. T3,.welded or otherwise secured to avertical tubular shaft. 14 journaled in pillowblocks .15 mounted on angle irons Hi which are component parts of a fabricated structural steel carrier identified as a whole by reference numeral 11. The carrier 11 is of rectangular box-lik outline and is movable vertically, as a unit, within the frame of the machine. It thus serves as a support for the group of brushes G and as a medium by which said brushes are susceptible of being lifted and lowered at the will of the operator of the machine. The vertical guides for the carrier H consist of four angle irons '|8see Figs. 1 and 10-constituting integralparts of the frame A.

The three tubular shafts "04 each carry a chain sprocket 80, said sprockets being drivably interconnected by a chain belt 81 which, as shown in Fig... 1, passes around an idler sprocket 82 and so engages the sprockets 30 associated with the two outer brushes it and 12 that the latter rotate in opposite directions, as indicated by arrows on Fig.1.

Power. for driving the rotary brushes G is obtained from shaft 20 and transmitted through a V-belt 34 to a pulley 85 keyed to a shaft 86, which isjournaled in a bearing 31 supportedby the frame Asee especially 8. A bevel pin.-

ion 88 keyed to shaft 86 meshes with bevel gear- 99 which, in turn, is secured to the vertical shaft M which carries the brush 1!. An idler pulley 9| attached to the lower-end of an arm 92 pivotally connected at d3 to a component of the carrier ll servesto maintain the belt 84 appropriately taut, under the tension of a spring 94. Whenthe carrier'il' iselevated, as hereinafter described, the group of brushes G is kept in rota.- tion by virtueof the fact that the idler Silmaintains the belt 84 under suitable tension, notwithstandingthe change in elevation of the carrier, unless,..of course, the engine is shut off or disengaged. at transmission C.

The. carrier i1, together with the brushes G and their driving gearare supported by a pair of chains 95, 95, the upper ends of which are connected to segmentalsprockets 96, 95 keyed to a cross-shaft 9? journaled at its respective ends in bearings flflbolted to the frame A. As most clearly shown in Fig. 4, the shaft 91 carries an arm I00 which is rigidly secured thereto, and to the distal end of which is pivotally connected a link iili, which interconnects the arm lec with a manual operating lever Hi2 pivotally connected to the frame of the machine at I113. The lever I02 is positioned within easy reach ofthe driver; and'when. it is pulled back from the posture in which-it isshown in Fig. 4 it rotates the shaft 91 through the mediuznof link iEH and arm I00 in the direction to elevatethe carrier 11 together with the brushesG- When the lever IE2 is pulled all theway back it acquires an over-center posture wherein it locks the carrier 1'! and brushes G in elevated position. This is not illustrated in the drawings. but is self-evident from inspection of Fig. 4.

Supported on the frame A directly above the group of brushes G is a hopper Hshown only in Figs. 2, 4 and '7designed to receive a substantial quantity of oil-absorbent powder of the kind heretofore widely used for removing oil deposits from floors-usually calcined clay reduced to powder form; and said hopper has three bottom outlets [95 through which the absorbent powder is discharged in measured quantities. Fitted within each'outlet I05 is a multi-bladed feed wheel IllEsee Figs. 4 and 7all three of which are mounted on and rotatable with a common shaft l0! extending lengthwise of the hopper and journaled in bearings attached to the hopper. One end of the shaft It! is provided with a driven sprocket I08 which is connected through the medium of a chain belt II to a driving sprocket I I I, which latter is rotatably mounted on a trun nion secured to a bracket II2see Fig. 7-and is integral with or fixedly coupled to a third sprocket II3, the teeth of which are drivably engaged by the drive chain 53 which drives the wheel I0. It will be apparent that the shaft I0! and feed wheels I06 rotate whenever the machine is being driven either forward or in reverse; but powder is not necessarily discharged from the hopper whenever the machine is in motion for the reason that there is installed in the bottom thereof a shut-off plate I I 5, Fig. 7, which is manually movable lengthwise of the hopper and provided with three openings II 6 through which the powder must gravitate enroute to the feed wheels I06.

Three flexible conduits II! are connected each at its upper end with one of the outlets I05, respectively, and at their lower ends each with the upper extremity of one of the vertical shafts I4. From inspection of Fig. '7 it will be apparent that with shut-oif plate H in the adjustment shown and the machine in motion, oil-absorbent powder is continuously fed downwardly from the hopper through conduits II! and the bores of shafts I4, from the lower ends of which powder drops to the floor; and it will be further apparent that if the rotating brushes G are in contact with the floor, as illustrated, the floor will be thoroughly scoured and the oil mixed with the powder, so that subsequent removal of the oilladen powder will leave the floor thoroughly clean. In order to insure that the entire floor strip traversed by the machine will be uniformly scoured, the three adjacent brushes should overlap, as viewed from the front or rear of the machine. This is clearly depicted in Fig. 1.

Situated rearwardly of the brush group G are two additional rotary brushes I and I2I, constituting what is herein referred to as the brush group J. These are mounted on horizontal shafts I22 and I23, spaced apart lengthwise of the machine and journaled at their two ends in suitable bearings attached to a structural steel carrier I25 of generally rectangular form and constituted principally of angle irons. This carrier, like the previously-described carrier 'i'I supporting the brush group G, is positioned within a cage made up of four vertical angle irons I26 arranged in quadrature and forming component parts of the frame A. The said cage serves to position the carrier I25 in the horizontal plane and at the same time functions as a guide within which the said carrier is movable vertically as a unit.

A sheet metal hous ng I28 is mounted on the carrier I 25 and encloses the brushes J at the top, ends and rear and includes a sloping top plate I29 which extends forwardly, as most clearly shown in Fig. 4, to overlie and form a cover for a box-like sheet metal receptacle I30 which rests on the frame of the machine and is removable therefrom laterally. The function of the brush group J is to pick up the oil-laden powder as the machine travels forwardly, and to discharge the same into the receptacle I30.

The carrier I25, together with the brushes J and housing I 28, is suspended on four chains I32, the lower ends of which are attached to the top plate I29 of the housing I28 while their upper ends are connected to sprocket segments I33, two of which are affixed to a rotatable cross-shaft I34 while the other two are similarly afiixed to a rotatable cross-shaft I35 journaled in bearings I36 carried by the frame of. the machine.

As best shown in Fig. 4, an arm I38 attached to cross-shaft I34 is pivotally connected at its distal end to a link I39 which, in turn, is pivotally connected at its other end to the upper end of a lever I40 fulcrumed at MI; and an arm I42 similar to arm I 38 is affixed to cross-shaft I35 and connected through the medium of a link I43 to the lower end of lever I40. Still another link I44 connects the upper end of lever I40 with the lower end of a hand lever I45 which is fulcrumed to the frame of the machine at I46. It will be evident from consideration of the abovedescribed link-and-lever system that when the operator pulls the hand lever I45 the two crossshafts I34 and I35 are simultaneously rotated in the directions effective to lift bodily the carrier assemblage, including the carrier I25, per se, together with the brushes of group J and the sheet metal housing I28.

The two group J brushes are driven in opposite directions, as indicated by the arrows thereon in Fig. 4, and the power for driving them is obtained from shaft 20 and transmitted through a pair of bevel gears I48 and I49, the former of which is secured to shaft 20-see Fig. 1-while the latter is secured to a stub shaft I58 journaled in a bearing I5I attached to the machine frame. The outer end of stub shaft I50 carries a sprocket 552, Fig. 2, which is drivably coupled to a sprocket I53 through the medium of a chain belt I54, said last-mentioned sprocket being secured to a shaft 555 journaled in suitable bearings, together with two V-grooved pulleys I56 and I53. A long V- belt I59 interconnects pulley I56 with a V- grooved pulley I68 attached to the outer end of brush shaft I22 and is held under suitable tension by an idler pulley I62 mounted on the free end of an arm I63 fulcrumed at I64 to the machine frame and biased upwardly by a coil spring I35, the upper end of which is anchored to the frame. A crossed V-belt I66 interconnects pulley I58 with a V-grooved pulley I6! attached to the outer end of brush shaft I23.

As the machine proceeds in the forward direction the strip of floor surface therebelow is progressively scoured by the brushes of group G, and'the oil-laden absorbent powder is promptly swept up by the brushes of group J and deposited in receptacle I 30.

One of the unique features of the subject invention resides in the co-operative action of brushes I20 and I 2I. It will be observed upon inspection of Fig. 4 that the oil-laden powder is propelled forwardly by brush I20 into receptacle I30 through a trajectory which overlies brush I 2I, but it may not be at once apparent Why the powder is projected at such a high angle by brush I20 and not projected at a correspondingly high angle in the rearward direction by brush I 2|. The explanation which I believe to be correct is that the effective peripheral velocity of brush I2! is equal to its actual peripheral ve locity less the velocity of the machine, whereas the effective peripheral velocity of brush I20 is equal to its actual peripheral velocity plus the velocity of the machine; and, in addition, the oilladen powder is caused by the action of brush I2I to pile up in front of brush I20 so that the latter encounters a mass of considerable height, which serves to divert the projected powder away from the more or less horizontal trajectory which it otherwise would tend tofollow. Whether-or not the foregoing is an entirely accurate expla nation of the conjoint action of the two brushes is not vitallyiinportant. The fact is that they do-the-job andzthe disclosure is. suihcientzto .enable those skilled in'th'e art to duplicate the. re-

sultrirrespective of whether the foregoingatheory of :operation is correct or incorrect.

In the enlarged sectional view, Fig. 11, there is illustrated a-novel featureof brush1construction which I employ in the.;brushes of group G andlwhich makes possible quick and economical renewal. of the bristles while at thexsame' time ensuring; that the bristles-are firmly anchored. As shown, each brush of group G comprises forty brush units I18, each including a tuft or bundle babbitt or lead which occupies all. the otherwise unoccupied space within the holder comprised of the-ferrule and cap' and firmly anchors the wires in place. And by way of further assurance-against unintentional displacement, each wire is bent'at its upper end, as shown in Fig. 11, to-form a positive anchorage.

While-I have illustrated and described but one embodiment of the invention, it'will. be immediately evident that there are many possiblemodi- 1 fications within the scope and purview of my inventive concept. Accordingly, the invention should not be construed: as limited except as plainly indicated by the=terms of the appended claims.

Having. described my invention and the mode of operation thereof, what I claim -asnew wish to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. The'combinationin a machine-for removing oil from aflooror thelikeyofa-frame, wheels supporting the frame-for movementlalong the floor, a first group of brushes located near the front end of a machine, said brushes each having-a vertical axis of rotation, acarriersupportmaterial onto the floor-in position to bc engaged by thesaidfirst group of. brushes, asecond grouplocated 'rearwardly' of said first group ,andrcom prising two rotary brushes having substantially parallel horizontal axes of rotation extending transversely ofthe machine, bothsaid brushes of the secondgroup normally resting onthe floor, a carrier for said second. group, saidlast mentioned carrier being supported by theframe in a manner to'enable vertical movement thereof forlifting and lowering the said second group of brushes'power means for driving both groups of brushes, the brushes of the second group being. driven in opposite directions, the directionof rotation of the forward' brush being such as tosweep the oil-laden material-toward the rearward brush, and the direction of rotation of-the rearward brush being such as to sweep the oil-- laden material toward the forward brush, and a receptacle mounted onthe frame. and. positioned toreceive oil-laden material swept for: wardly and upwardly by the. rearward brush.

2'. The-combination in a machine for removing,

oil from floors or the like, of a frame, wheels supporting the frame for movement along. the floor, a first 'group ,of rotary brushes located. near. the front endof the machine, said brushes being rotatable in: the horizontal plane and each mounted on; a tubular vertical drive-shaft; a"

hopper for oil-absorbent comminuted material supported by the frameand positioned above said first group of brushes, conduits interconnecting said hopper with the bores. of said drive-shafts individually, means. operatively associated with said conduits for feeding regulated quantities of oil-absorbent comminuted material from the hopper to the bores of the respective drive-shafts andthence to the floor, a carrier supporting said first group of brushes; said carrier being supported by the frame in a manner to enable vertical movement thereof for lifting and lowering the said first group of brushes, an engine supported by the frame, a transmission interconnectingthe engine with the said drive-shaft for driving the brushes of said first group, a second group located rearwardly of said first group i and comprising two .rotary brushes having substantially parallel horizontal axes of rotation extending transversely of the machine, both said brushes of the second group normally resting on' the floor, a carrier' for said second group, said last-mentioned carrier being supported by the' frame in a manner to enable vertical movement thereof for lifting and. lowering the said second group ofbrushes, power transmission means-interconnecting said engine withsaid second group" of brushes, the brushes of thesecond group being driven in opposite directions, the direction of rotation of the forward brush being such as to sweep the oil-laden absorbent material on-the fioor toward the rearward brush, and the direction of rotation of the rearward brush being such as to sweep the oil-laden absorbent material forwardly and upwardly, and a receptacle mounted on the frame and positioned toreceive oil-laden absorbent material swept forwardly and upwardly by the rearward brush.

3. The combination in a machine for removing oil from floors and like areas, of a frame, a pair of drive wheels located near the front of the machine'at either side thereof, a third wheel located at the rear of the machine and serving as a rudder, said frame being supported by the three wheels conjointly, a first group comprising a plurality of rotary brushes located near the front of the machine, said brushes each havinga vertical tubular drive-shaft, a chain belt drivably interconnecting said drive-shafts, an engine mounted on the frame, a transmission interconnecting the engine with one of said drive-shafts, a carrier for said first group of brushes, said carrier being supported by the frame and adapted for vertical movement whereby to lift and lower thefirst group of brushes, a hopper adapted to contain a quantity of oil-absorbent comminuted material, said hopper being supported on the frame above the first group of brushes and having a plurality of outlets corresponding in number to the brushes of the first group, a plurality of conduits, each interconnecting one of said outlets with the upper end of one of said driveshafts, individually, a plurality of feed wheels, each disposed in one of said outlets, individually, and operative when rotated to feed comminuted material from the hopper into the associated conduit, a feed wheel shaft mounting said feed wheels, drive means interconnecting said shaft. with the engine, a second group located rearward- 1y of said first group and comprising two cylindri cal rotary brushes having substantially parallel ly of the machine, said last-mentioned brushes being spaced apart lengthwise of the machine and both normally resting on the floor, power transmission mean interconnecting said brushes of the second group with the engine and operative to rotate said brushes in opposite directions so that each brush is effective to propel loose material on the floor toward the other brush, a receptacle 1ooated forwardly of the said second group of brushes and positioned to receive loose material projected forwardly and upwardly by the rearward brush of the group, and manually operable mean for elevating the brushes of the second group.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 478,942 Pease July 12, 1892 1,294,881 Dickinson Feb. 18, 1919 Number Number Name Date Winchester June 17, 1924 Carpenter Dec. 27, 1927 Bilde Jan. 3, 1933 Finnell July 8, 1941 Parker et a1. Dec. 30, 1941 Menkhaus Aug. 4, 1942 Backlund Apr. 27, 1943 Farrar Aug. 24, 1943 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Great Britain June 29, 1942 

